Pressure-controlled fluid-regulator.



E. P. NOYES.

PRESSURE GONTROLLED FLUID REGULATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 24, 1910.

Patehned May 2, 1911.v

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

gm fi/kwa.

9.9110199 PRESSURE GONTROLLED FLUID REGULATOR.

APPLICATION FILED .TUNE 24, 1910.

Patented May 2, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ANITED STATES PATENT ori-10143.

EDWARD I. NQYES, F TWIN"GIE-IESTER,.A MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 C P POWER COMPANY, 0F NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, A .CORPORATION 0F NEW JERSEY.

PBESSURE-CONTBOLLED FLUID-REGULATOR.

Specification f Letters Patent.

Patented May 2, 19'11.

y Application led June 24, 1910. Serial No. 568,629.

0 all whom 'it may concern:

` Winchester, in the county of Middlesexand State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pressure-Controlled Fluid-Regulators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the automatic proportioning and quantity-control of a plurality of aeriform fluids, such for example 'as air and fuel gas which it maybe desired to maintain in a combustible ratio for eX- plosive or other gas engines. When the fluids have a substantially constant initial pressure such as that of atmosphere and a gas supply derived from city mains or a producer, the problem of properly proportioning their quantities is mainly a question of adjustingthe relative orifices of suitable hand orl governorcontrolled regulating valves in the'air and gas pipes respectively, and if variable throttling is desired for engine-control, it may be had, as is well known, either by means of a separate throttle-valve in the mixture-pipe, or by conjointly varying the total air and gas control ports without changing their relative areas. But such expedients are ineffective wherethe initial pressure of either Huid varies considerably, or is substantially above or below the atmospheric level, or where either or both of the fluids is derived through a plurality of pipe inlets, as forexample where 'the gasengine acts as a vacuum vpump and takes a part of its air through a vacuum-using appliance. y

It is the object of my invention to provide simple and reliable regulating mechanism for meeting such conditions as these, or any other conditions where a plural-Huid regulator of a universal character is needed, and the plan which I have devised is that of establishing suitably-related resistance-oriices in the respective fluid pipes, merging said pipes into a single chamber lor mixturel conduit posterior to the orices, and employi lng automatic regulatin devices in the anterior sections of said plpes, which shall respondv tothe relative pressures and preferably also to the absolute ,pressures therein so as to proportion the quantities and, if desired, i to automatically maintain`a standard pressure-level of the fluids anterior to the resistance orices. These regulatingA devices may be made capableof throttling the uids .in parallel and 1n varying degrees at will or governor in order to y under the infiuence of a control the motor. V 'My invention consists in the improved construction of anl automatic vpressure-responsive regulator for these or analogous duties, aswell as in combining its functions 4 l with the pipes andl orifices in the manner above indicated, all as more-particularly ascertained in the following description.

Of the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a view in side lelevation and section showing my invention applied to an eX- plosive engine. Fig. 2 represents a vertical section of a preferredy form of the regulator. Fig.. 3 represents a vertical section of a modified regulator. Fig. 4 re resents a vertical section showinga secon modication. Fig. 5 represents a similarview showing a third modification. Figs. 6,7, and 8 represent sections on the lines (iv-6, -7-7,' and 8-8 of Fig. 5. Fig. 9 represents a vertical y section showing a fourth modification.

For convenience the fluids will be referred to as air and fuel-gas, although'ithe invention is not confined to these fluids or to use as an explosive-engine governor.

The principle of the invention may be carried out as illustrated inA Figs. 1 and 2, by disposing a pair of suitable resistance members or orifices 10, 11 of normally fixed aperture, in the air and gas conduits 14, 14a y and 15, 15a respectively-these orifices being preferably adjustable by means of the hand valves 12, l-merging said conduits into a common mixture-pipe or chamber 17 on the posterior sides of the orifices so as' to equalize the two vfluid pressures immediately beyond them, and locating in the anterior sections of these conduits suitable regulating mechanism which as here shown is designated as a whole by the numeral 19, for controlling the Y pressures in 14 and 15. By

construction, or by adjustment ofthe valves 12, 13, the orices 10, 11 may be related in ja `manner corres onding to the combustible proportionsof a1r andthe particular fuelgas which 'is being handled. The 'absolute 4uantities of Huid flowing through fixed origces of short length depends upon the areas of these orifices, the pressures of the fluids anterior and posterior thereto, and the temg l peratures of the fluids which latter factor may in general be assumed to be constant or nearly so.

' Since the oriiices are assumed to be fixed inapproximately the desired ratio, and the pressures posterior to the orifices are equalized, it follows that if the pressures in 14 and 15 are, by the action of the automatic regulating means, maintained in a Afixed relation such as that of equality either at a ixed or at a variable pressure-level, the desired quantity-ratio of the two fluids will be substantially maintained regardless of the pressures of either of the fluids admitted to the regulator 19. This arrangement also permits the side .inletting of air or gas between the regulator and the fixed orifices without disturbing the ratio.

The regulator for automatically maintaining thedesired pressure relationship and pressure level in the conduits may be of any suitable character, but I have devised and claimed asa part of my invention a preferred form of regulator represented in detail in Fig. 2 and susceptible of modificap tion as hereinafter indicated. For the purpose of further descriptionthe terms anteri'or and posterior will be referred to the regulator 19 rather than to the orifices 10, 11 unless otherwise specified.

In Fig. 2, 20 is a casing having inlet and outlet chambers 21, 22 into and from which the sections 14al and 14 of the air conduit proceed, and corresponding chambers 23, 24

der the influence of the posterior'pressure' -of one of the fluids acting in a chamber 24 above said diaphragm, and the diaphragms` 27, 28 impose an opposite or reciprocal motion upon the valves under the influence of the two posterior pressures balanced against each other, so as to control the relation of said-pressures in the face of any tendency of either of them to vary independently of the other. It willl be evident that if the pressure in chamber 24 be opposed by a constant pressure such as that of the atmosphere in the chamber 31 below the diaphragm 30, said diaphragm and the'valves 25, 26 will act as a reducing-valve mechanism responsive to theiabsolute pressures of the uids in theconduit sections 14, 15. In some situations, however, it may be desired to have them responsive to the volume of fluid flow but not to the absolute pressure, as for examplel in some cases where the initial pressures are above atmospheric, and this may-be accomplished by establishing in chamber 31 the initial pressure of one of the fluids instead of atmospheric pressure (although the two are the same in the case of air taken in through the regulator at atmospheric pressure). The tendency will then be to maintain pressures in the posterior sections 14, 15 of the conduits lower than the anterior pressures by a substantially constant difference. Thus Fig. 2 represents a duct 32 leading from the anterior air-pressure chamber 21 to the chamber 31 and controlled by a stopvalve 33, and another valved air-inlet 34 leading from chamber 31 to the atmosphere.

Thereby either the atmospheric pressure or the initial air pressure may be established in chamber 31, or the ducts 32 and 34 could have their valves adjusted to establish in 31 a mean between the pressure in 14a and that or' the atmosphere. Thus, with both passages 32 and 34`open there will be a flow of air through chamber 31 either inwardly to or outwardly from chamber 21, depending upon whether the pressure in the latter is below or above atmosphere, and if this ow be choked or restricted in both of said passages, the aforesaid mean pressure will exist in chamber 31.

It is a matter of convenience to have the posterior gas pressure as the pressure which acts in chamber 24 on the upper side of diaphragm 30. The pressure so acting might be either the posterior'gas-pressure or thc posterior air-pressure, since these are by the action of diaphragms 27, 28, maintained in an equal or controlled relationship. Where the desired diiereiice of pressure between the'anterior and posterior sections 14, 14, and 15, 15 of the two conduits, or between the atmosphere and the posterior sections, is greater than that which would be due t0 the weight of the valves and their connections, a spring 35 may be provided to act on an adjustable collar 36 carried by a sleeve 37 which connects with a spider 38n forming a part of the box 29. The pressure of this spring added to the weight of the parts will then determine the reduction of pressure in conduit 15 at which diaphragm 30 will begin to rise and open the valves 25, 26.

38 is a collar forming the up er seat of spring 35 and permissibly ma e slidable along sleeve 37 in case it is desired to impose some external governin iniiuence upon the spring 35 so as to vary t 1e critical pressure level, a lever 350 being shown in Fig. 1 for the urpose of shifting this collar and thus varlably throttling the iow of air and gas without disturbing `their proportions.

The diagram 28 is subject on its upper side to the posterior gas pressure in chamber 24 tending to close the gas valve 26, and this to open the air valve 25. ln the chamber 41 b etween these two diaphragme is establlshed the posterior air pressure through the hollow stem 42 ofthe air valve, and this pressure tends to open the gas valve and y close the air valve.

lf the weights of the diaphragms 27, 28 and thelr valves are exactly balanced, it is evident that the posterior air and gas pres-A sures in conduits 14 and 15 will remain substantially equal, because for `example if the air pressure should begin to exceed the gas pressure the diaphragms would be spread and the air valve 25 would decrease its opening, and gas valve 26 increase its opening until equality was restored.` lf the gas pressure should begin to exceed the air pressure the opposite action would take place, air valve increasing and gas valve decreasing its respective opening. lt however the weights of the valves and the pressure-balance diaphragms are not exactly counteracted, the posterior pressures ot the two uids. will tend to remain in a determinate relationship other than that ot equality, and this condition l provide for by means of the springs 43, 44, each of which is adjustable for either tensiom or compression, the spring 43, when in compression, bearing downwardly on the stem of the air valve 25 and the spring 44 in like case bearing upwardly on the stem ot the gas valve 26. 'lhe inner ends ot these sprin s are attached to nuts 45, 46 working` onle t and right hand threads-47, 48 on a vertical Heating rod 49 which is mounted in the sleeve 37 and has a turning knob 50 at its lower end, whereby the two springs may have their pressures adjusted concurrently. Normally the friction of this rod in the hollow stem 37 holds it against endwise move- .ment therein, but when desired it may be slid len hwise in the stem to alter the pressures o the springs 43,44 reciprocally, with corresponding ed'ects on the pressure-relationship of the duids in 14 and 15. i

ln order to balance the weights of the diaphragms 27, 28 and their valves, l provide a third spring 51seated against an adjustable collar 52 on the lsleeve 37, and pushing upward directly upon the air valve 25 and indirectly through the s rings 43 and 44 upon the gas valve 25. Agssuming that this spring 51 is adjusted so as to exactly balance the weights, it. is evident that thesprings 43 and 44 canl act unhampered by the weights to create either a preponderance of gas pressure, or a preponderance ot air pressure, or equality of pressures. lt it is desired to have the gas pressure predominate, the rod 49 will be turned so as to spread a art the nuts 45, 46, and if it is desired to ave the air pressure predominate, said rod will he turned. to draw Athese nuts toward each other until the compression of the springs is changed into a tension. When these springsl have no pressure either direction other than that which sustains the Weight of the upper valve and diaphragm, the gas and air pressures will be maintained equal. It will now lbe evident that whenever the pressure in the pipes 14 and 15 tends to rise above that Jfor which the spring 35 is adjusted, as

for example if the suction of the motor 18 should decrease, the diaphragm 30 will tend to descend and decrease the opening of both valves 25, 26 until the standard or critical pressure has been restablished, and if the suction ot the motor is so great as to draw down the pressures in 14 and 15 below standard, the diaphragm 30 will rise and increase the opening of the two valves. lf such pressure-level controlling action disturbs the pressure relationship in pipes 14, 15, the dlaphragms 27, 28 will automatically compensate in the manner described. 0f course, 1t'

either of the diaphragms 27 or 28 were a.

'phere or'other constant pressure in chamber 31, is highly useful in connection with a gasengine employed as a vacuum pump or 1n other situations where stability of pressures either above or below the atmospheric level is desired, and the regulator under these circumstances serves to govern the speed ot the engine with which it may be connected it the latter performs only pumping work. Whether the chamber B1 contains a constant pressure or the anterior pressure of one ot the fluids, the regulator in either case is responsive to the total volume of luidlow, and this is important since the pressure-balance diaphragms in the illustrated embodiment of my invention are deprived ot that function. p

rlhis regulating apparatus, as stated, enables the motor 18 to uct as an air pump for performing extraneous work by suction, such for example as the vacuum cleaning ot carpets etc., and the entire air supply of the motor could,` under such conditions, be led through-the anterior section 14a of the main air conduit, but in that case the mot-ur would stop if the air sup ly at the vacuum-using device were'entire y shut od. l therefore prefer to provide an auxiliary branch air rae inlet 53 connecting with the main air con-- duit between the regulator 19 and the orice 10 and connected at its other end with the vacuum apparatus (not shown). The regulator will then in addition to its functions as above'- described, serve to automatically prevent the total cessation of air and gas supply to the motor. Although the air led in through the branch pipe 53 is not directly controlled by the regulator, the latter will nevertheless maintain the proper -proportions of air and gas going to the motor within the limits of its regulative capacity by the exertion of its automatic pressure-leveldetermining and pressure-balancing functions as described.

Fig. 3 shows a modified construction divided from my co-pending application Serial No. 275,861, iled August 26, 1905, of which the present application may be deemed in part a continuation. In this and the. other modification views, like characters are used 'to designate parts similar inv function to those represented inFig. 2. The air and gas valves 25, 26 are conical and both mounted at the lower end of the regulator, the

'posterior gas pressure being carried up to sideof diaphragm 30, to which is opposed the anterior air pressure acting in a chamber l 24a underneath diaphragm 30. The tendency of this form of the regulator is therefore to automatically open the valves 25 and 26 whenever a certain pressure is reached in the anterior section 14a of the air conduit and to maintain'an equal or controlled relationship between the pressures in the posteri-or sections 14, 15 of the conduits, but obviously this form of construction can' be suitably modified to perform the same functions as the regulator shown in Fig. 2:

As a further modification I have, in Fig. 4, represented the air and gas valves 25, 26 attached to opposite arms of al floating leverk 54 whose fulcrum 55 is carried by the pressure-level diaphragm 30, the latter having the adjustable spring 35 pressing downwardly to close the valves and having also the chambers 24b and 31 on opposite sides of it receiving through conduit 56 and aperture 310fthe posterior andatmospheric airpressures respectively. A third arm 58 of lever 54. is oppositely acted on by two balance-diaphragms 278, 283L receiving respectively the posterior air and gas pressures in chambers 41a, 24. Therefore when the posterior pressure of either iuid becomes excessive the valve for that fluid will tend to close and the other valve to open. If the,

pressure level varies from the standard the diaphragm 30 will compensate by acting on both valves concurrently. A push-and-pull spring 59 acting on the lever 5 4 is adapted to perform the functions of the springs 43 and 44 of Fig. 2 in establishing a pressure relationship other than that of equality between the conduit sections 14, 15. This form of the invention is in effect a two-diaphragm arrangement in which the pressurebalance diaphragm is for convenience made in two parts so `as to afford a connection with the lever 54 without the use of a stuffing box.

In the modification shown in Figs. 5 to 8, the same results are obtained by a combined axial and rotary movement imparted to a piston-valve structure, the axial movement being -imparted by the pressure-level diaphragm 30 which moves the valves 25, 26 up and down so as to cut oif the air and gas ports in equal proportion, while the rotatory motion is imparted by a pressure-balance diaphragm 60 acting on the valves by a rack 61 and pinion 62 to control the ports reciprocally. If posterior air pressure in the chamber 41a on one side of this diaphragm predominates over the posterior gas pressure in chamber 24a on the opposite side,l the air ports will tend to close and the gas ports to open wider, while if the gas pressure should predominate, the opposite eifect will take place.

It is not essential that the pressure-balance and pressure-level controls shall both be exerted upon the same valve members. For example one control may be imposed upon the valves and the other upon their seats or bushings as represented in Fig. 9 which has the lbalance diaphragms 27, 28 attached to the air and gas valves 25 and 26 respectively and subject to the same pressures as in Fig. 2, while the pressure-level diaphragm 30 is attached to a separate bushing 63 having ports movable into and out of register with those of the valves.

rShould the posterior gas pressure in chamber 24 on the under side of diaphragm 30 and that of spring 35, both acting upwardly on the bushing 63,- tend to exceed the weight of said bushing and diaphragm together with the atmospheric pressure acting down- `wardly in chamber 31 on the upper side of said diaphragm, the bushing will rise and' close the air and gas ports proportionately and the opposite action will take place when the posterior gas pressure tends to fall. When the posterior pressure of either of the fluids is in excess of the other, the corresponding valve willbe moved toward closure and the other valve further opened as in the previously described vembodiments of my invention. Where both members of the valve couple, z'. e. the valve and its seat, are movable, it is of course immaterial which is regarded as the valve.

The springs for varying the pressure relationship of the two fluids are for the sake l. ln fluid-pressure regulating apparatus the `combination of a plurality vof aeriform- Huid conduits having constrictions, a mixture-conduit into which they merge, and means responsive to the pressure level and the pressure difference in the rst-said conduits. anterior to the said constrictions for maintaining the fluid pressures in a redetermined relation and at a predetermlned level.

2. Apparatus for automatically proportloning and regulating aeriform fluids comprising a plurality of conduits for the respective Huids having constrctions, a mixture conduit into which they merge, pressure-controlled valve devices in the respective conduits anterior to said constrictions adapted to maintain the Huid pressures in a predetermined relation and also responsive to the joint volume of dow in the conduits, and means for adjusting the closing tendency of said devices to vary the amount of throttlin g automatically maintained thereby.

3. ln combination, a plurality of Huidpressure conduits having constrictions, a mixture conduitinto which they merge, au-

- tomatic regulating mechanism responsive to the pressures in said conduits between itself and the constrictions for maintaining said pressures in a predetermined relation, and a branch inlet-conduit connected to one of the rst-said conduits between the constriction therein and the regulating mechanism.

d. A Huid-pressure regulator comprising two valve devices for separate fluids, means for controlling the relative openings of said devices by the diderence between the pressures of the two fluids, and means controlled p by the pressure of one of the Huids for operating said devices concurrently.

5. A Huid-pressure regulator comprising two valve devices for separate Huids, means for operating said devices reciprocally byv the difference between thepressures of the two uids, and means controlled by the pressure of one ofthe fluids for operating said valve devices concurrently.

6. A id regulator comprising two Huid conduits, two valves controlling ports in j said conduits, a septum structure connected with thevalves and operated by the difference in pressure between the fluids posterior to said valves for reciprocally opening and closing the latter to maintain said pressures in a predetermined relationship, and a secondv septum structure controlling the valve-ports concurrently and'subject to the posteriorpressure of one of the fluids for determining the level of the posterior pressures. 4 y

7. A regulator comprising two fluid conduits having valve-portsvalve-devices controlling said ports, a septum controlling said valve-devices and subject on one side to the pressure of one of the conduits posterior to its port and on the other side to a substantially constant pressure, and a septum-structure subject in `opposite directions to the posterior pressures of said. conduits and reciprocally controlling the, respective valveports.

8. A quantity-proportioning and pressurelevel controlling device, for air and combustible gas comprising conduits for the respective uids having constrictions, a regulator comprising two valve devlces for the j respective conduits located at points anterior to the constrictions, means for operating said devices reciprocally by the differencein the conduit pressures between said valve-devices and constrictions, means controlled diderentially by one of Vsaid pressures and the atmospheric pressure for operatmg 10o said devices conjointly, and a branch airpipe connecting with the air conduit between the valve-device and the constrletlon therein.

9. A fluid-pressure regulator comprismg conduits for two aeriform lluids,'two valves controlling the respective conduits, two septunis adapted to reciprocally operate said valvesand each operated by the di'erence in the pressures of the two conduits, and a. third septum carrying the first-sald septums and subject to one of the conduit pressures. 1

'10. A {luid-pressure regulator comprising conduits for two aeriform fluids, two valves controlling the respective conduits, two septums adapted to reciprocally operate sald valves and each operated by the difference in rthe pressures of said conduits posterior to the valves, a third septum carrying the other two and subject in one directgion to the osterior pressure of one of the uids ten ing to close the valves and in the opposite direction to the pressure of the atmosphere, and

a pring connected with said third septum an adapted to exert pressureV tending to close the valves.

` 11. A Huid-pressure regulator comprising two valve devices for se arate uids, means for operating said devloes reciprocally by 13@ the difference between the pressures of the two fluids, adjustable means for exerting yielding pressure on said devices in aid of one ofthe pressures for causing the other pressure to predominate, and means controlled by the pressures of 4one of the fluids for operating said devices concurrently.

12. A fluid-.pressure regulator comprising two Valves for separate fluids, septums connected with the respective valves and having a chamber between them open to the pressure of one of the iiuids and chambers on their opposite sides open to the pressure of v means for conjointly` adjusting the pressure of said springs, and a third septum carrying the first-said septums and subject to the pressure of one of the fluids.

14. A fluid-pressure regulator comprising a casing having at one end a set of chambers for the inlet and outlet of air and at the other end a set for the inlet and outlet of gas, air and gas valves interposed between the chambers of the respective sets and closing in the same direction, a pressure-level diaphragm interposed between a fluid-pressure space on its valve-opening side and the gas outlet chamber on the other side, a box carried by said diaphragm, an adjustable spring acting on said boX to close the valves, a pair of pressure-balance diaphragms carried'by said box and attached to the respective valves, said diaphragme having a chamber between them open to the air outlet chamber, and subject on their opposite sides to the pressure in the gas-outlet chamber, springs located in the chamber between said pressure-balance diaphragms and acting in opposite directions on the latter, nuts located between said springs and forming abutments therefor, and a rot-ary adjusting stem having right and left threads carrying the respective nuts.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this sixteenth day of June, 1910.

EDWARD P. NOYES. Witnesses:

P. W. PEzzETrI, C. F. BROWN. 

